History Recap / StarTrekTheNextGenerationS5E14Conundrum

* PunchClockVillain: We really don't know enough about the Lyssians, the Sattarans, and their war to make any judgements, so we really can't call [=MacDuff=] anything more than someone trying to do his duty to his people.

* PunchClockVillian: We really don't know enough about the Lyssians, the Sattarans, and their war to make any judgements, so we really can't call [=MacDuff=] anything more than someone trying to do his duty to his people.

Picard is disturbed by this turn of events; being forced to kill someone he doesn't even remember has made him even more anxious to get his memories back. He consults with Doctor Crusher to determine if anything can be done. Crusher has a theory, and a possible treatment, but without access to detailed medical records she's reluctant to try it on anyone. [=MacDuff=] volunteers (how convenient), but when he suffers some kind of seizure in the middle of the procedure (again, how convenient), Crusher decides to scrap the whole thing.

Meanwhile, a restless Troi visits Riker, once again feeling like somehow they have a connection. Riker manages to confirm this: while searching his quarters, trying to figure out who this William T Riker guy is, he find a book, with Troi's handwriting in it: "From Deanna, With Love." They are about to share a tender moment, but then Ro comes in and breaks up the party.

It turns out that it's shipwide: no one on the ''Enterprise'' can remember who they are, although they seem to have retained their skills and training (the doctor knows how to work the medical equipment, the engineer knows what the engines do, etc.) The big guy with the beard and the navigator with the funny nose head down to Ten Forward, where they meet an android serving drinks and a woman who seems to have an empathic ability that no one else does. And this woman and the big guy seem to remember each other...

* RememberTheNewGuy: MacDuff tries to pull this off in-universe.

* OntologicalMystery: On a starship.

* BelligerentSexualTension: This episode confirms its existence between Riker and Ro.

* AmnesiaDanger: The ''Enterprise'' and her crew becoming a pawn in a war between two alien civilizations far less technologically advanced? Selective amnesia and radio silence are really the only ways to make that happen.

* FridgeLogic: In-universe, the main reason [[=MacDuff=]'s plan falls apart. Too many things just don't add up.

* GutFeeling: The main reason [=MacDuff=]'s plan falls apart: this whole situation ''feels'' wrong to the crew.

* ComplexityAddiction: [=MacDuff=]'s plan suffers from this upon reflection. He's got the technology to selectively erase both computer and organic memory, as well as implant his own information. There had to be a simpler way to use that technology to end the war rather than hijacking a shipload of total strangers, insinuating himself into the crew, and railroading them into fighting the war for him.

As Doctor Crusher works to restore everyone's memory now that she knows the procedure is safe, things are slowly getting back to normal...except for poor Riker, who has the most awkward meeting imaginable with Ro and Troi...

[[BodlyComing Well now...]]

They are the crew of the ''Enterprise'', flagship of the United Federation of Planets. The Federation is currently at war with another power, the Lysian Alliance, and the ''Enterprise'' was on a secret mission to destroy the Lysian command center. The memory loss they've experienced is in keeping with rumors Federation intelligence has been hearing about a secret Lysian weapon that's been disabling Federation vessels. The ''Enterprise'''s mission is a crucial one for ending the war, and they are under strict radio silence orders. So they have no way to contact the Federation and confirm that what they're being told is right. Despite misgivings, Picard orders the ''Enterprise'' to move forward.

Meanwhile, crew members are trying to get to some point of normalcy. Riker escorts Troi back to her quarters. She expresses her unease: something about this whole situation doesn't feel right at all. Riker shares her unease, but he thinks it's just because they're at war; war never feels right. Bidding Troi a good night, Riker returns to his quarters...to find a provocatively-dressed Ro waiting for him.

Well now...

The next day, the ''Enterprise'' reaches Lysian space. They are immediately accosted by a Lysian warship. Surprisingly, the ship doesn't immediately attack; in fact, they open a hailing frequency. Picard is about to answer, but [=MacDuff=] advises against it: this might have been what they did the first time. The situation is taken out of everyone's hands when the Lysian ship gets tired of waiting for a response and opens fire. The Lysian weapons, shockingly, don't even dent the hull of the ''Enterprise'', and when Picard orders a return fire, all it takes is one phaser blast to destroy it.

Later, Picard calls [=MacDuff=] into his Ready Room, and there he expresses his concerns. Picard has serious moral issues with this entire situation: he's being asked to blindly follow orders he doesn't remember getting the first time. Orders which require him to kill people he doesn't remember...and the encounter with the Lysian ship, whose weapons technology was clearly ''way'' behind the ''Enterprise'''s, has filled him with tremendous doubt. [=MacDuff=] expresses his sympathy with the Captain, but he reminds him that they are at war, and the possibility of saving Federation lives must naturally outweigh one man's moral qualms.

After this conversation, [=MacDuff=] speaks to Worf privately. He notes that he and Worf are NotSoDifferent: they're both clearly the soldiers aboard the ''Enterprise.'' And he wants Worf's assurances, from one soldier to another, that they have each other's backs...and that Worf will back him if the situation should arise that they need to make a hard decision the Captain can't. Worf can only half-heartedly agree; it's not a situation he's comfortable with at all.

The ''Enterprise'' encounters very little resistance as it progresses through Lysian space: all they meet are a few automated defenses that they easily steamroll over. Until finally they reach the Lysian command center. It's a space station with a crew of thousands...and weapons technology a hundred years behind the Federation's. [=MacDuff=] urges Picard to destroy the station, but Picard has had enough of this. There is ''no way'' the Lysian Alliance could possibly be a credible threat to the Federation if this is how advanced they are. At any rate, he's not about to end thousands of lives without being absolutely sure it's necessary. [=MacDuff=], on the verge of VillainousBreakdown, tries to take over, but he's blasted by Worf and Riker. In the process, his disguise is damaged: he's not even ''human.''

Our amnesiac heroes try to figure out what just happened. They know they're on a starship, they're all wearing matching uniforms, and there's the wreckage of another ship outside. Logic dictates they're the crew of a ship and they've just suffered some kind of attack. Worf assumes that he's in command, since he's the most heavily decorated, and starts acting as such. His top priorities are weapons control (after all, if they really have been attacked, they have to be prepared for another), and assessing just how widespread this amnesia problem is.

It turns out that it's shipwide: no one on the ''Enterprise'' can remember who they are, although they seem to have retained their skills and training (Doctor Crusher knows how to work the medical equipment, La Forge knows what the engines do, etc.) Ro and Riker head down to Ten Forward, where they meet an android serving drinks and a woman who seems to have an empathic ability that no one else does. And this woman and Riker seem to remember each other...

Checking the computer systems, La Forge finds that the memory files have also been erased. But he manages to get a list of the command crew. That bald guy who's trying to get everyone to calm down and think about this situation? That's Jean Luc Picard, the Captain. The guy with the baldric? Worf, the Tactical Officer (Worf is bummed he's not in charge and ashamed that he assumed he was, but Picard consoles him with the fact that nobody remembers anything anyway). That android down in the bar? Data, the Operations Officer. The empathic woman? Deanna Troi, Ship's Counselor. The big guy with the beard? Second Officer William Riker. The shifty guy over there? First Officer Kieran [=MacDuff=].

Anyway, once the crew figures out who they are, they gather for a meeting. La Forge has managed to get a little more information out of the computer. Like the crewmembers themselves, the computer memory files have been selectively erased. Any personal data or historical logs are gone. All they know is some general information and their current mission:

* ComplexityAddiction: [=MacDuff=]'s plan suffers from this upon reflection. He's got the technology to selectively erase both computer and organic memory, as well as implant his own information. There had to be a simpler way to use that technology to end the war without hijacking a shipload of total strangers, insinuating himself into the crew, and railroading them into fighting the war for him.

* OpenMystery: Of a sort: We viewers know that this [=MacDuff=] guy isn't part of the crew, and this war with the Lysians is a fabrication; we just don't know why or how.

* SchizoTech: The Satarrans have memory-wiping technology far more advanced than anything the Federation has seen, but their weapons tech is way behind.

* ComplexityAddiction: [=MacDuff=]'s plan suffers from this upon reflection. He's got the technology to selectively erase both computer and organic memory, as well as implant his own information. There had to be a simpler way to use that technology to end the war without bringing the ''Enterprise'' into it.

* TechnicianVersusPerformer: Data and Troi's chess game is an illustration of this: Data is the ultimate Technician, knowing every potential move; Troi the Performer, assessing what her opponent would do and responding accordingly. Unusually for this kind of siutation, Troi ''wins'' the game.

In the aftermath, the truth comes out: "[=MacDuff=]" was a member of the Satarran race, the ''actual'' mortal enemies of the Lysians. He was using the ''Enterprise'' to bring a swift and decisive end to the decades-long war between them. And he very nearly succeeded: Picard muses grimly on the Lysians they killed while under the influence of this evil plan.

* OpenMystery: Of a sort: We viewers know that this [=MacDuff=] guy is definitely not part of the crew, and this war with the Lysians is a fabrications; we just don't know why or how yet.

* OntologicalMystery: On a starship